Aaron Schock is a new Congressman, so even though his previous environmental record isn't very impressive, I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Soon we'll find out if he was serious about the windmills and promises to protect rivers that appeared in his campaign ads. It isn't looking good so far.
Although Schock appeals to some as the kind of reasonable Republican his district historically elects, like Ray LaHood and Bob Michael, on energy issues he's gravitating toward the Shimkus fringe of his party. I've read that Schock will likely oppose the ACES global warming bill.
Even worse, he's co-sponsoring the "American Energy Act" which comes from the Republican energy group co-chaired by John Shimkus. The bill is full of measures to weaken environmental regulations and increase corporate welfare for polluting industries.
Schock echoes Shimkus by bragging that the bill threatens ANWR. His press release admits he supports "lifting restrictions on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the Outer Continental Shelf, and oil shale in the Mountain West."
Schock is a politically ambitious freshman so I still hope that he'll choose a reasonable path to represent his constituents rather than following Shimkus and the polluting interests into national disgrace. That will only happen if he hears from people who live in his district.